Best way to hook PC up to 37" Sharp 37D7U HDTV?

[Scroatdog]

Hi. Ok, I finally got around to moving my rig from the right side of my computer desk to the left side. In doing so, the rig is now between my entertainment center and my computer desk, so I could hook up my computer to my 37" LCD HDTV.

Right now, I'm using DVI into the tv, and the "front out" from the soundblaster audigy gamer into the tv. This is an 1/8" stereo jack solution. I have two 19 inch monitors that I usually work with. My question is, using the supplied cables with my ASUS X1800XT card, can I hook up to the HDTV using the video out terminal on the card and the component video cables that plug into it, AND be able to use my two DVI ports for the two other computer monitors??

Is there a noticable difference hooknig a PC up via DVI as opposed to component?? I only haev two DVI cables right now. The one was being used to hook the digital cable box to the tv, and I had run the two RCA audio outs on the cable box to an 1/8' in for the tv. Right now the cable going into my tv tuner card is regular cable, its coming from a splitter. Should I run coax from the cable box into the computer? If so, I don't know how I would change the channels, other than using the cable box remote.

Please help an HTPC nOOb !!

Thanks



*edit* forgot to put my receiver specs. Pioneer VXS D811S. It's 6.1 (I'm only running 5.1 speakers), has Dolby Digital decoding and DTS. Don't know how to hook the Audigy Gamer up to it other than 2 speaker setup right now. I don't know "how" to make Soundblaster's proprietary "digital DIN" connection work on my receiver. Do I need some sort of adapter?

 

[JonDoms]

Ya know I don't know which one is better. You should do an experiment.

I think you can only do 2 outputs but then again I am not sure. Sorry I am not much of help so far.

What kind of TV do you have? 37" LCD HDTV, what resolution? what brand and model number? what kind of inputs? Is it HDCP? does it have HDMI?

Are you connecting via DVI-D to HDMI using a cable?

I'm looking into getting a Samsung 42" LCD with 1080P and QAM tuner built in.
I was wondering myself how can I connect to this thing besides VGA 15PIN connector or Componant, b/c those are analog technologies. Using DVI-D is all digital so to answer your 1st question I think you would fine during your experiment that the DVI-D looks better.
The Samsung I am looking at does have a HDMI interface with HDCP. So I am looking forward to getting a GeForce 7950GT which has HDCP and get a DVI to HDMI cable.

Does anyone know if that will work? Does anyone have DVI-D cable to a HDMI interface that has HDCP but your video card doesn't?

If you want to watch cable HD then your best bet is to go from set top box STB to your HDTV. If you want PVR functionality get a HDTV tuner card for your PC.
I recommend the Fushion HDTV cards over the MyHD for QAM capable. I have both and find that the Fushion is a little easier to use but the MyHD does have a nice Programming Guide via Cliff Watson Program.

 

[Scroatdog]

Yes, a Hi Def tuner card is definitely a must. My current card is the Happauge Win250-PVR. My tv is a Sharp 37D7U 37" LCD HDTV, capable of 1080i and has one HDMI cable that I am currently running to/from my DVD player. Sorry for not including that earlier. Max resolution on the tv (in digital PC mode) is 1366x768. Using Powerstrip I was able to get 1360x768. At least that's what Powerstrip and the ATI display properties are telling me. But the tv reports the input as 1280x768.

I'm getting very excited about getting this thing hooked up proper. Definitely no 5.1 audio at this time though because of Creative's stupid "digital din" thing. I've gotta see if there is a way to take that digital din connection (1/8 inch jack with three output strips on it) and turn it into a digital coax or soemthing. I've gotta a few digital coax audio on my receiver, as well as a couple optical.